Beginner's Guide to Tattoos
Overview A tattoo is a marking made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment for decorative or other reasons. Tattoos on humans are a type of decorative body modification, while tattoos on animals are most commonly used for identification or branding. Tattooing has been practiced for centuries worldwide. The Ainu, the indigenous people of Japan, traditionally wore facial tattoos. Today one can find Berbers of Tamazgha (North Africa), Māori of New Zealand, Arabic people in East-Turkey and Atayal of Taiwan with facial tattoos. Tattooing was widespread among Polynesian peoples and among certain tribal groups in the Taiwan, Philippines, Borneo, Mentawai Islands, Africa, North America, South America, Mesoamerica, Europe, Japan, Cambodia, New Zealand and Micronesia. Despite some taboos surrounding tattooing, the art continues to be popular in many parts of the world. Tattoo Artists A Tattoo Artist (also tattooer or tattooist) is an individual who applies permanent decorative tattoos, often in an established business called a tattoo shop, tattoo studio or tattoo parlour. Tattooists usually learn their craft via an apprenticeship under a trained & experienced mentor. Basic tools are the tattoo machine, power supply, clip cord, foot pedal, grip, tips, grip stem, needles, and tattoo ink. Artists tend to specialize in certain designs and many have become famous for having celebrity clients and for television appearances on Miami Ink and Ink LA. Tattoo Studios The properly equipped will use biohazard containers for objects that have come into contact with blood or bodily fluids, sharps containers for old needles, and an autoclave for sterilizing tools. Certain jurisdictions also require studios by law to have a sink in the work area supplied with both hot and cold water. When looking for a Tattoo Studio for your tattoo, the studio should be well lighted and squeaky clean. Be absolutely sure that you check out your tattoo studio and the tattoo artist completely. Ask questions and if your having a large tattoo done ask for references. And call and talk to the references. Be sure the tattoo studio and the tattoo artist has good hygene practices. Types of Tattoos Abstraction Tattoos Abstraction tattoos, mostly derived from archaic styles of tattooing, do not involve too much artwork. Mostly done in shades of black and classic gray, such tattoos are commonly made around the navel, chest and calves, though arms and upper back are also emerging as a popular choice. Abstractions tattoos include tribal and Celtic style tattoos, Old English lettering and Chinese symbols. Naturalistic Tattoos When an attempt is made to portray the tattoos in a realistic style, they tend to take the 'natural' form. The portrayal, involving minute detailing, shading and perspective, is done in such a way that imparts a tattoo design as much realism as possible. With their cost a little on the higher side, Naturalistic Tattoos more popularly comprise of faces of Native Americans and religious leaders. Tribal Tattoos Tribal Tattoos- tattoos from tribes around the world. Most tribal styles originate from various old tribes like those from Borneo, the Haida, the Native Americans, the Celtic tribes, the Maori and other Polynesian tribes. The shapes and motifs of these tribal tattoos are deeply rooted in the tribe’s mythology and view of the world. The traditional tattoo artist aims to reflect the social and religious values of the tribe in his tattoo designs. Recurring themes are the rituals of the tribe, the ancestors, the origins of the world and the relationship with the gods. Dedication Tattoos Dedication Tattoos, commonly known as 'pledges', involved the use of the sailor-based designs, like the heart and name banner, the anchor with a ship name, and the insignia of a military regiment. Not much popular in the present times, they command a reasonable price, mainly because of the reason that they are amongst the standard designs offered at a tattoo parlor. Simplification Tattoos Simplification tattoos do not have any limiting boundaries in terms of the designs. Almost any and every shape and size can be included in this type, as long as it is stylized by the tattoo maker. Right from the action figurines and animals to flowers and hearts, the range of designs in simplification tattoos is quite wide. Panthers and lions are the popular designs in standard simplification tattoos, while dragons and zodiac signs rule the roost in custom-made stylized tattoos. Complex Tattoos Complex Tattoos, as their very name suggests, involve designs that are much more intricate than the other styles. Also known as combination tattoos, they comprise of an amalgamation of various tattoos, making them much more impressive than the other type of designs. The most popular complex tattoos comprise of traditional Japanese body suits and combinations of unrelated images. The Tattoo Process Artists create tattoos by injecting ink into a person's skin. To do this, they use an electrically powered tattoo machine that resembles (and sounds like) a dental drill. The machine moves a solid needle up and down to puncture the skin between 50 and 3,000 times per minute. The needle penetrates the skin by about a millimeter and deposits a drop of insoluble ink into the skin with each puncture. The tattoo machine has remained relatively unchanged since its invention by Samuel O'Reilly in the late 1800s. O'Reilly based his design on the autographic printer, an engraving machine invented by Thomas Edison. Edison created the printer to engrave hard surfaces. O'Reilly modified Edison's machine by changing the tube system and modifying its rotary-driven electromagnetic oscillating unit to enable the machine to drive the needle. Modern tattoo machines have several basic components: * A sterilized needle * A tube system, which draws the ink through the machine * An electric motor * A foot pedal, like those used on sewing machines, which controls the vertical movement of the needle. The general steps involved in creating the tattoo are outlining, shading, coloring, and bandaging. Outlining, or black work: Using a single-tipped needle and a thin ink, the artist creates a permanent line over the stencil. Most start at the bottom of the right side and work up (lefties generally start on the left side) so they don't smear the stencil when cleaning excess ink from the permanent line. Shading: After cleaning the area with soap and water, the artist uses a thicker ink and a variety of needles to create an even, solid line. Improper technique during this step can cause shadowed lines, excessive pain and delayed healing. Color: The artist cleans the tattoo and then overlaps each line of color to ensure solid, even hues with no holidays -- uneven areas where color has lifted out during healing or where the artist missed a section of skin. Final cleaning and bandaging: After using a disposable towel to remove any blood and plasma, the artist covers the tattoo with a sterile bandage. Some bleeding always occurs during tattooing, but most stops within a few minutes. When you look at a person's tattoo, you're seeing the ink through the epidermis, or the outer layer of skin. The ink is actually in the dermis, which is the second layer of the skin. The cells of the dermis are far more stable than the cells of the epidermis, so the tattoo's ink will stay in place, with minor fading and dispersion, for a person's entire life. Safety and Health Because it requires breaking the skin barrier, tattooing may carry health risks, including infection and allergic reactions. Modern tattooists reduce such risks by following universal precautions, working with single-use items, and sterilizing their equipment after each use. Non sterile tattoo artist practices could lead to you getting Hepatitis B or C. Some people do have allergic reactions to the ink. Checklist: *Make sure the artist is wearing gloves. *Make sure all new sterile needles to be used on you are opened from the autoclave bag in front of you. *Ointment, ink, water and other items should not be returned to a universal container after it has been removed for use on a client. *A professional should destroy and dispose of needles in a Sharps container. Aftercare A really beautiful tattoo can turn into a disaster if the proper aftercare is not taken so it's important to follow proper Tattoo Aftercare. Tattoo Removal While tattoos are considered permanent, it is sometimes possible to remove them with laser treatments, fully or partially. Typically, black and darker colored inks can be removed more completely. An ink trademarked as InfinitInk is designed to be removed in a single laser treatment. The expense and pain of removing tattoos will typically be greater than the expense and pain of applying them. Some jurisdictions will pay for the voluntary removal of gang tattoos. Pre-laser tattoo removal methods include dermabrasion, salabrasion (scrubbing the skin with salt), cryosurgery, and excision which is sometimes still used along with skin grafts for larger tattoos.[ External References thumb|300px|right|From the mouth of an Artist... Tattoo Studios